an interview with joe blogs* 

My blog was interviewed recently by Joe Blogs. Imagine, my first interview. Regarding the blog, that is. It felt nice, makes me feel goooey like a melting marshmallow. Below is the interview.

Name : Anjali
Age : I stopped counting after I hit 21. That was only last year.
Location : Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Vocation : Advertising
Philosophy : Life is short – live it fully and have no regrets.

Sum up what your blog is about.
It’s a platform for me to express myself. To tell my my life stories; be it my thoughts, my emotions and my travelogues. To leave bite-size pieces of me before I leave this world.

Why are you doing your blog?
I had initially started writing short stories about myself and saved them in my computer. One fine day, I shared some with a friend and she advised me to post them on a blog. “You write good s**t”, she said. The rest as they say is history.

What’s the funniest entry on your blog?
I think there were a few wicked-humoured ones, but if I have to choose one, I’d most probably choose this one called ‘Save me from this misery’. It still makes me laugh when I have a bad day at work.

What is your writing style?
I prefer it to be conversational; like talking to your best buddy. It’s more sincere that way. I can look back at all the foolish things I’ve done and laugh about them aloud, without fearing what others think. I take myself less seriously on my blog.

What do people commonly say about your site?
People liked my wicked humour with a touch of sarcasm. And the blog attracts the same breed of people, so that’s great actually. Most also like my travel photographs.

What would you be doing if you weren’t doing your blog?
The same thing I do outside of my blogging hours – work, read, cook, being a slave to my cat, daydream and travel a bit. I have a life besides blogging, y’know.

Why should someone visit your site?
Simply because they should. Heh.

What did you learn from your first love?
Two things – (i) It’s important to love yourself first. (ii) No man can love you as much as God and your pet. There was a quote I read once which says, “If you want loyalty, get a dog.” A cat who thinks he is a dog works just as well too; like my Smokey. *wink*

Climate change is caused by man. Myth or reality?
Definitely reality - women are too kind for that kind of destruction.

Are there any blogs, you enjoy reading?
I really loved Tequilamockingbird, but she has stopped writing. Now, my current favourites are PostSecret and Karen Cheng’s Snippets Of Life.

If you could invite anyone to a dinner party who would it be and why?
Oooh that’s easy. I would love…no, lust actually, to invite His Purple Highness Prince. He is obviously the sexiest man alive. He will be my dinner and we will party like it’s 1999.

What one website would you recommend and why?
I would recommend PostSecret, because it is real. At most times, amid all those secrets, you find one [sometimes a few] that reflects exactly how you feel. And that’s awesomely powerful and equally freaky at the same time.

Tell us a random funny story that comes to mind.
I remember this scene in ‘Monk’, whereby a girl was irritating Monk with this riddle - Pete and Repeat are sitting in a boat. Pete fell of, so who’s left in the boat? Obviously the answer is Repeat. So the riddle became an endless annoyance.

What advice would you have given yourself 5 years ago?
None really. I am what I am now because of what I’ve gone through.

Any interesting travel stories?
When I travel, I love to bargain and squeeze the traders dry. When they agree to the price I asked for, I negotiated further discount. I realized I pushed the limit a little too much when one Indian trader in Jaipur snapped at me, “Madame, you not only chop my hands, my legs and my head, you also throw my head outside of my shop! Your price, madame, NOT POSSIBLE!”

What’s the most incredible thing that ever happened to you.
Many years ago, one rainy morning, after avoiding church for 2 months because I blamed God for my breakup, I finally dragged myself out of bed and drove myself to church. I asked God to heed my sign to prove that He will sail through the pain with me. The sign in specific – after the worship and before the sermon, I wanted the pastor to call me out. Just me alone. After the worship, the pastor walked toward the pulpit and pulled out a note from his bible and read aloud, “Will the car owner of XXX1234 come out and attend to your car coz your headlights are on.” I froze at my chair. That was my car plate number. So God is truly alive!

Now it’s your turn! Ask me one question, anything you like.
If you can be a superhero, which one would you choose and why?
Joe Blogs : I'd choose Superman. I like his range of powers, strength, speed, flight, able to freeze, and heat things. Batman has no powers just gadgets. I like the idea of saving people. And the cape of course. I'd have to listen to the Superman music by John Williams to gee me up, great theme music.